Hi, I’m thinking the sun might not be too much help in an area where there is allot of tall buildings. I know on my walk to work there is only really one spot when the sun hits me directly and that is when I am crossing one of the last roads. The rest of the time the buildings block it from me.
Bye for now. >From Shaz. Canberra, Australia. From: blind-gamers@groups.io <blind-gamers@groups.io> On Behalf Of Chris Norman via groups.io Sent: Wednesday, 5 August 2020 8:17 PM To: blind-gamers@groups.io Subject: Re: [blind-gamers] Explaining the compass, any ideas? Honestly, the compass is the only app I miss having switched over to Android. I've made my own version, but the location API isn't super accurate on my Pixel, unless I'm moving. That's really interesting about the sun. Surely that kind of relies on you having some frame of reference? I feel like there's times where that wouldn't work, but now I'm thinking about it, I can't think when. Take care, Chris Norman On Tue, 4 Aug 2020 at 20:20, Patrick Smyth <patricksmyt...@gmail.com <mailto:patricksmyt...@gmail.com> > wrote: If you're sighted or have enough low vision it's not hard to tell time by the sun, as long as there aren't clouds. If you're in the northern hemisphere, the sun is always somewhat to the south. Over the course of the day it moves from east to west. In the early morning or late evening someone with only light perception might be able to make an educated guess. At noon, if you lived pretty far north, you might be able to tell as a total by the direction the sun is hitting your body. The compass app on the iPhone has come a long way, and seems to be moderately reliable now. Might also be useful in conjunction with a conventional map app, at least for that annoying bit as you get going. I really do hate that part...Siri, if I knew which way blah street was, I wouldn't need your directions. Patrick "Sharon S" <ko...@areujoking.com <mailto:ko...@areujoking.com> > writes: > Hi, my dog sends you a lick back. When I am going to the table > at the office I’m normally > walking pretty slowly so it doesn’t hurt when I run into it. > Also the desk is pretty big and heavy > so I don’t think there is any chance of me moving it when I run > into it. As for putting things on it > like my drink I make sure I can feel it has hit the table before > I let go of it. Most of the time I > don’t have any issues because I have learnt where things are it > is just the desk that I have > problems with. If I am out of the house or at someone’s place I > don’t know then I use the white > cane which stops me from running into things. > > > > I have a friend who is totally blind and he is always doing an > injury to himself. I think the > problem is he walks too fast so before his white cane tells him > there is something there he has > walked into it. Unfortunately this also goes for people, I can’t > tell you how many times we have > been going somewhere together and he almost walks into me. I > have gotten to the stage where > I make sure I know where he is and make sure either I am walking > on a different side of the path > or he is in front of me. Even when I am following a wall and > making noise with my cane he still > doesn’t realise I am there. I think he would benefit with a dog > so he could keep up the fast pace > and not run into everything or everyone, but he isn’t > interested. > > > > Well it is way past my bedtime so I better put the computer down > and try and get some sleep. I > only picked it up to start a download, if I have a bit to > download I like to do it during our off peak > hours which starts after midnight. If I do my downloading of > books and stuff during the off peak > when no one else in the family is using it then it works out for > us all. We have download limits > on how much we can download per month and we have one limit for > off peak and one for peak > time. So if I do all my downloading during the off peak it > leaves the download during the peak > time to my parents to do what they want. So far this has worked > quite well, well at least we > have never gone over our limit with the off-peak downloads where > we have with the peak time. > We are lucky because if we go over we don’t get charged extra > they just slow down our internet > speed. This can get frustrating but most of the time we have > gone over have been only a few > days before it resets. > > > > Well I really should go now. > > From Shaz. > > Canberra, Australia. > > > > From: blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > <blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > On Behalf > Of Chris Norman via > groups.io <http://groups.io> > Sent: Tuesday, 4 August 2020 11:50 PM > To: blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > Subject: Re: [blind-gamers] Explaining the compass, any ideas? > > > > Hi mate, > > Not sure anyone can know where north is, unless they're really > good at reading the sun (thinking > that excludes most of us), or they've got a finely-tuned magnet > embedded somewhere on their > person that they can feel the pull of. Thinking of it, that > would be pretty cool, just sayin'! > > > > Yes, depth perception is a pain! My wife's is pretty rubbish, > and she actually injures herself far > more than I do. I would even go so far as to say that people > with partial vision probably have a > harder time than those of us with none, because we don't try and > use what we don't got, and > we don't get harried for looking like we can see stuff, when > that's not the case. > > > > How do you manage with your lack of depth? I'm guessing you take > steps to ensure your desk > or the floor around it aren't swimming with drinks, or your > stuff is all over the floor because you > booted your desk too hard? > > > > Also, give your doggy a stroke from me! :) > > > > Take care, > > > > Chris Norman > > > > > > > > On Tue, 4 Aug 2020 at 04:27, Sharon S <ko...@areujoking.com > <mailto:ko...@areujoking.com> > > wrote: > > Hi all, I’ve been reading this topic with interest. I’m only > new to this list so haven’t posted > before. I joined the list to find out more about accessible > games. I have had vision > problems since I was six and it has slowly gone down hill from > there. Now I’m getting close > to forty and I have very little sight. On a good day I can see > shapes but no real detail. Most > of the time I am fine with my directions, that is unless I stop > where I was going to talk to > someone and turn around a bit then it takes me a bit to work > out in which direction I should > be going. This has been helped with the assistance of a seeing > eye dog. At the moment I > am between dogs and because of the virus I’m not going out > much. I am also pretty > confident with my white cane in areas I know well but put me on > a new route and there > will be trouble. > > > > One thing I have noticed lately is my depth perception is > totally gone. For example at the > office where I volunteer the desk is big and white. I can see > the desk as I walk up to it but I > can’t judge how far away it is so I either run into it or > totally miss putting things on it. I > don’t recall having this problem when I was younger however I > was always short sighted so > don’t know if that has anything to do with it. > > > > Now for the original topic, I have no idea about the directions > of a compass when out and > about. Once I came out of a shopping mall a different way then > I went in so had no idea > where I should be going and neither did my dog. So I put my GPS > on for help, I put in where > I wanted to be and it then told me to walk a certain distance > north. I had no idea at all > which way was North so I ended up just having to pick a > direction and go. Once I was on > my way the GPS then gave me directions as turn left or turn > right which helped me allot > more. > > > > At my scout hall however I could tell you which way was North > because we worked it out > years ago with a compass and each point is directed towards a > wall of the hall. For > example, North is the lake side of the hall, East is the > kitchen, South is the road side and > west is the cupboards. However, that only works while we are in > the hall, take me outside > and turn me slightly and I will give you the wrong direction. > > > > Well better go now. I have heaps of emails to catch up on and > my tummy is saying it is > time for lunch. > > > > Talk later. > > From Shaz. > > Canberra, Australia. > > > > From: blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > <blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > On Behalf > Of Chris Norman > via groups.io <http://groups.io> > Sent: Monday, 3 August 2020 12:43 AM > To: blind-gamers@groups.io <mailto:blind-gamers@groups.io> > Subject: Re: [blind-gamers] Explaining the compass, any ideas? > > > > Yeah, it's changed my outlook too. > > > > I've been sending the odd message from this thread onto my wife > as well. She's partial in > one eye, and has recently gotten dead interested in all this > stuff, since Google Maps took > us alongside a canal late at night, and she suddenly realised > her lovely vision she'd relied > and prided herself on wasn't worth squat when faced with > darkness she couldn't penetrate, > near water she couldn't swim in, with nobody she could rely on, > other than a husband she > wasn't entirely happy with relinquishing navigational control > to. > > > > Needless to say, she's now had cane training under blindfold. > > > > Take care, > > > > Chris Norman > > > > > > > > On Sun, 2 Aug 2020 at 05:06, Christy S <christys1...@gmail.com > <mailto:christys1...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > From a purely analytical standpoint I'm fascinated too. > > > > I think the main point though is, if someone's brain doesn't > know how to grasp a > concept due to wiring from very early on for whatever reason, > it can't just be taught. > This is important, because if more people understood this, I > think there would be a lot > less judgmental attitudes in the blind community toward those > who can't do spatial > concepts. I point at myself saying this, because I've at least > thought similar things like > sheesh, didn't get you good training? Or WTF, how do you get > lost in a kitchen? With a > better understanding now I know better. So while games or other > software might very > well help with things like say, being able to memorize turns > for those who have a hard > time mapping something in their brain, it's not going to be > able to just fix the issue. > Now of course, if the real issue actually was a lack of > training, or severe sheltering to > the point of never being able to learn something and I know > these things do happen, > then you've got a completely different thing going on. > > > > I do love this discussion, though. > > > > On 8/1/2020 5:41 PM, Chris Norman via groups.io <http://groups.io> wrote: > > That's really interesting! > > > > It's challenged my - admittedly narrow-minded - way of seeing > things. A > developmental psychologist I am not, but I find this stuff so > damn fascinating! I'd > love to sit and have a drink with you, and hear about your > experiences with > things. > > > > As a point of personal interest (and feel free to reply > privately if you feel this is > getting too off-topic), how's your grasp of material > recognition? I mean, when you > had to hide, did you know what it was safe to hide behind, > without casting a > shadow, or being seen through glass? > > > > I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, who has never > met another blind > person other than me. I was telling her about a case I'd heard > of where a blind > couple got done for having sex in a phone box in broad > daylight, because they > didn't realise the walls of said phone box were transparent. > She thought it was > hilarious, and couldn't grasp why you wouldn't know glass was > transparent. That > got me wondering how anyone who can't see would know that > stuff. Obviously > you pick up in the end, but it strikes me that an avid hide and > seek player would > probably know that instinctively, because kids are obviously > going to tell you how > they caught you. > > > > Also, with the routes thing, do you mean you have no concept of > going back on > yourself, block routes, and reverse direction of travel? I > think it was you who said > they coudln't reverse routes in your head. > > > > To bring this whole thing back to games somewhat, I wonder if > there is any way > that a game system could be developed to help blind people get > a handle on this > sort of thing, or whether tactile maps or german film are the > answer. > > > > What Do you feel would help you? It would be fairly trivial to > produce a system > where a mobility instructor could create a to-scale virtual map > of a given route, > that you could scrutinise at your leisure on your computer, but > would that even > help? Or would that just over complicate things? > > > > The system could be extended to introduce certain variables, > like heavy traffic, > or road works making a ton of noise, low-flying helicopters, > high winds, that kind > of thing. > > > > MMM, the mind races! > > > > Take care, > > > > Chris Norman > > > > > > > > On Fri, 31 Jul 2020 at 15:55, Jessica Hodges > <jlhodg...@gmail.com <mailto:jlhodg...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > Hello. > I would challenge, a little, the notion that mental mapping is > tied to > how much activity someone has had growing up. My mother > encouraged me > to > wander, to play outside, sledding, etc. If I wanted to do > something, she > didn't tell me no, and she frequently pushed me to do things > even when I > didn't want to. Hide and seek was one of my favorite childhood > games, > because I've always liked small places and I liked finding > unusual spots > for me and my three brothers, (two more would come later) to > hide. I > would often wrestle with them, slide down the stairs with them > on my > back, and other assorted things, so I think its safe to say > that, while > I tended towards staying in and reading books, that I was not > cut off > from physical activity and exploration. And yet, when I was > younger, I'd > get lost even on my own block. My mother says, when I was > really small, > I even had trouble with getting off the porch. Thankfully by > now I have > progressed, (mostly,) to the point that, a lot of the time, > unless I'm > really confused, that wouldn't be an issue, but I still, for > example, > don't understand how going around a block gets you to the same > point you > started from because you turned and had to walk along streets > in the > process, and I did, just the other week, get lost going to a > diner just > a block away where I needed to cross nothing, (don't ask me how > I > managed to do that, :() Anyhow all that to say, I don't think > that's > quite where the connection is. If I had to hazard a guess, I > think it > has to do, more than anything, with how the brain is wired. > Coddling or > the lack thereof, frankly, won't fix that. > I hope this ramble of a message has made sense, and beg pardon > if it > didn't, it has been written before breakfast by a very sleepy > person. :) > Jessica. > > On 7/31/2020 5:16 AM, Damien Garwood wrote: > > Hi Chris, > > People who have the skill of echo location are lucky - I > > could never > > grasp that! > > As for competence versus safety: If you don't use the tools > > you have > > then you're not going to look competent if you end up hurting > > yourself. Think about it, those who are prejudiced will judge > > you > > regardless of how you get around, so you may as well just > > bite the > > bullet. It's sad when having a disability and being able to > > adapt life > > so you can attempt to live (so-called) normally, is > > prejudiced by > > others, even in the 21st century. In short, it makes me sick > > to think > > that a blind person doesn't want to seem or look blind > > because of > > society's expectations. > > As for physical activities, you could well be right. I wasn't > > really > > the physical type of child. Even if we went out for a walk my > > legs > > would hurt (but then Mum recently discovered that's likely > > because I'm > > actually walking wrong). As for sports? Forget it. Put me > > near a gun, > > I might be able to shoot a few rounds (yes, I did do acoustic > > shooting > > a long time ago, but that was it). Put me in a swimming pool, > > you > > might get thrown around and splashed a lot, but there'll be > > no swimming! > > My mum didn't mollycoddle me. If anything, I don't think she > > ever > > quite knew what to do with me (she was very young when I was > > born). My > > mum has difficulties showing and explaining things to me even > > now, so > > you can imagine how much she struggled even more so when I > > was a kid. > > In fact, I always remember there were arguments between the > > school and > > my mum as to who should be teaching me basic practical skills > > (like > > dealing with different types of fastenings, using hooks, > > working out > > which is the right way to put clothes on, handling money and > > so on). > > I wouldn't agree with letting kids get cut and burned...That > > seems a > > bit harsh to me. But I do agree that they should at least be > > allowed > > to have a go. It doesn't help that UK's health and safety > > regulations > > have gone to the dogs - soon they probably won't even let us > > sit on > > chairs due to the risk that they'll snap from underneath us! > > Now even I didn't realise hide and seek was a game that blind > > people > > could play. Then again, I never had brothers or sisters until > > I went > > to boarding school, and I never had friends as a young child, > > so that > > would have been out of the question anyway. > > Sounds like you had a lot of fun. All those games actually > > sound > > really awesome, and are games that I would have never even > > dreamt of > > doing. Just goes to show what's possible with the right > > support > > network! Bet you're going to tell me you even had a go at > > writing and > > drawing and painting next! > > As for the last part of your message, yup, I fit all three of > > those > > brackets, unfortunately. It took me seven years (yes, you > > read that > > correctly, seven) to learn how to use a touchscreen phone > > because of > > my fine motor skills (or lack thereof). > > Cheers, > > Damien. > > > > On 31/07/2020 09:31 am, Chris Norman via groups.io <http://groups.io> > wrote: > >> Hi, > >> I hear what you're saying about your friend who couldn't > >> find stuff > >> too well. I used to laugh at blind folks using echo > >> location. Now I'm > >> a bit older, and don't care as much what people think of me, > >> I > >> cheerily exchange looking competent for feeling safer. > >> > >> In my experience - both through people I know, and people I > >> work with > >> - the main difference between people who can mental map > >> "well", and > >> those who can "not so well", seems to be the level and > >> complexities > >> of physical activities they performed when younger. > >> > >> For adults, this seems to be more how bloody minded they > >> are: Those > >> who approach their new found blindness as a challenge tend > >> to get out > >> there fairly quickly, and take the knocks while they haven't > >> had the > >> chance to think through how awful things could be. Those who > >> sit back > >> and worry about it tend to have worried themselves into a > >> frenzy by > >> the time it becomes necessary to get up and actually do > >> something. In > >> my experience, it's that latter group who struggle. > >> > >> If any of you have kids, I beg you to not be like the > >> parents I have > >> to work with, who mollycoddle their kids. Be that parent who > >> lets > >> their kids climb trees, build fires, and run around with > >> their mates. > >> Show them how to use tools like knives and drills. Let them > >> get cut, > >> and burnt and gather blisters. Seriously, so many people > >> tell me how > >> amazing I am. I don't see it personally, I just think I had > >> normal > >> parents who weren't afraid to let me take the knocks, but > >> it's a > >> parenting style I see less and less these days. > >> > >> When I was younger, I used to play hide and seek with my > >> sighted > >> sister and her friends. The learning went both ways: I > >> learnt that I > >> couldn't just stand quietly in the centre of a room, and > >> they learnt > >> that they couldn't just stand in front of me and stay still. > >> Mutual > >> respect earnt and gained. > >> > >> If you want games, hide and seek has to be natures best way > >> of > >> teaching blind and sighted kids a whole multitude of stuff: > >> How to > >> move quietly, what materials are transparent, and which ones > >> only > >> show shadows, how much noise a still body makes, how big a > >> space you > >> can fit your body in. > >> > >> Sadly, I think in this modern world of liability, correct > >> speaking, > >> and buck-passing, it's far easier to shove kids into a > >> corner and let > >> them play a computer game than to invent something amazing. > >> > >> If you're looking for an amazing experience that doesn't > >> involve > >> spacial awareness, shut down your computer, get yourself a > >> tambourine, and fill it with crap. Pass it round a circle > >> without > >> making a noise. Every time it goes around the circle, remove > >> a piece > >> of stuff from it... Make sure there's balls, and pens, and > >> anything > >> else that will roll inside it. That will teach you to hold > >> stuff > >> level. A few rounds of that, and you'll not be confused as > >> to which > >> way you're holding your cup of tea. > >> > >> Seriously, kids learn from play! It's our job as gamers to > >> make sure > >> as many of the next generation of blind folks as possible > >> get the > >> best input when it really counts, before they get old enough > >> to > >> realise their fine motor skills are shot because they always > >> had the > >> more delicate things done for them, they can't find anything > >> because > >> they were always guided, and they have their own > >> deficiencies lodged > >> in their brains because everyone said "Oh, you can't do > >> that". > >> > >> There endeth today's sirman! :P > >> > >> Take care, > >> > >> Chris Norman > >> > >> > >> > >> On Fri, 31 Jul 2020 at 05:53, Christy S > >> <christys1...@gmail.com <mailto:christys1...@gmail.com> > >> <mailto:christys1...@gmail.com <mailto:christys1...@gmail.com> >> wrote: > >> > >> Damien and others, > >> > >> > >> I know I'm behind on this. I tend to skip over a lot of > >> posts > >> depending > >> on subject, but a conversation or two over the last few > >> days got me > >> thinking about this. > >> > >> > >> First thing's first. The reason the game you mentioned > >> said 6:00 is > >> that > >> many people refer to directions using the face of a > >> clock. Not a > >> digital > >> one that flashes numbers, but an analog clock that has > >> an hour and > >> minute hand that goes around a circle. Without going > >> into a lot of > >> detail that will probably just confuse you, no insult at > >> all > >> intended > >> there, saying an enemy is at 6:00 probably means behind > >> you. > >> > >> > >> I wanted to touch on the more generalized concept of > >> spatial > >> awareness, > >> however. Many, though not all, audio games use spatial > >> awareness > >> as a > >> foundation of playing the game. It wasn't until more > >> recently that I > >> realized this isn't always practical for some. In the > >> past, the > >> people I > >> had run into who had poor spatial concepts or skills > >> also had other > >> cognitive issues and I suppose, without even realizing > >> it, I > >> lumped the > >> two together in my mind. > >> > >> > >> I'm one of those who have always had decent spatial > >> awareness, or > >> mental > >> mapping as Damien said. In fact, I used the term mental > >> mapping > >> before I > >> knew a more correct term. I've always thought the reason > >> I could do > >> this > >> so well had to do with having a little sight when I was > >> younger, > >> thus > >> helping my brain to develop decently in that area. But > >> really, > >> when I > >> map something in my head, it's more like picturing a > >> miniature > >> version > >> of the space as I understand it. For example, I can sit > >> here on > >> my bed > >> in the bedroom and picture the entire layout of this > >> apartment, > >> including where furniture and other large items are. I > >> can even > >> picture > >> the basic layout of a house I lived in over 15 years > >> ago, and using > >> that > >> mentally plan how I could get from any one point to any > >> second > >> point, in > >> either place. > >> > >> > >> Anyway, I've recently been talking to someone I now > >> consider a good > >> friend, and this person struggles a lot with any kind of > >> spatial > >> awareness. Their general intelligence, though, is > >> totally fine, > >> with no > >> other cognitive difficulties that I'm aware of. > >> Likewise, reading > >> Damien's message here, I don't see any hint of cognitive > >> delays and > >> that > >> just confirms to me that I need to very much rethink > >> that > >> subconscious > >> connection my mind has made. Unfortunately, this is > >> common in the > >> blind > >> community. If a blind person isn't out walking > >> everywhere, taking > >> public > >> transit all the time etc, they tend to be seen as either > >> dumb or > >> lazy. > >> If a person admits they can't figure out on their own > >> how to get > >> to a > >> place two blocks away, they're often met with shocked > >> disapproval or > >> worse. I mentioned to this friend that the house I used > >> to live in > >> had a > >> very large, wide open kitchen as the center of the house > >> and they > >> just > >> groaned. In fact, a different friend who sadly has since > >> passed > >> who had > >> similar struggles and would get utterly disoriented in > >> that kitchen. > >> She > >> could be standing by the fridge, and no matter how many > >> times we > had > >> shown her before, could not figure out how to get to a > >> bedroom > >> that was > >> probably 10 or 15 feet away. Looking back now, my then > >> roommate > >> and I > >> could have handled that situation very differently and > >> more > >> gracefully. > >> We just could not understand why she wasn't getting it. > >> > >> > >> The fact is, for whatever reason, there are those who, > >> in addition > >> to or > >> because of blindness, literally don't have the mental > >> ability to > >> understand spatial concepts. It's not that they don't > >> want to, or > >> that > >> they just haven't been taught right, but their brain > >> quite literally > >> can't process that kind of information. I think there > >> might be some > >> connection between that and never having sight, but it > >> also seems > >> to be > >> a lot more complicated than that with certain eye > >> conditions > >> playing a > >> part. The best parallel I can think of us for those of > >> us who > >> have no > >> memory of sight, having someone try to explain colors to > >> us. We can > >> memorize certain things, red is hot for example, but our > >> brains > >> don't > >> have the ability to bring what that color looks like > >> into our minds > >> because there's no concept of vision or varying colors > >> to build on. > >> > >> > >> This sounds very similar to what you're dealing with > >> Damien. I would > >> never discourage attempting to learn, and if you can > >> find a way that > >> works for you, that is totally awesome. If you can't, > >> though, please > >> don't think that it means you are stupid or any other > >> negative > >> thing. It > >> could simply be that your brain isn't wired to be able > >> to process > >> spatial concepts for whatever reason, and you should > >> stick with > >> whatever > >> methods work for you. > >> > >> > >> For those of us who do have that kind of spatial > >> awareness, I really > >> hope we can all be understanding and not wave off these > >> types of > >> limitations as stupidity or laziness or anything of the > >> sort. I'm > >> talking to myself here too. As for those that find these > >> 3d or 2d > >> audio > >> games overwhelming and confusing, I hope you can find > >> others that > >> work > >> for you. Side scrollers come to mind, as those generally > >> only have > >> forward and backward, sometimes up and down. This entire > >> thing > >> has me > >> pondering ideas for emersive audio games with excellent > >> storylines that > >> don't require the ability to navigate as a primary skill > >> for > >> gameplay. > >> > >> > >> Christy > >> > >> > >> > >> On 7/27/2020 1:15 PM, Damien Garwood wrote: > >> > Hi, > >> > This will be quite a long message, because I'm > >> > starting to > >> realise > >> > just how complicated spatial awareness can actually > >> > be. > >> > This is a thing I've been struggling with for years. > >> > I only > >> managed A > >> > Hero's Call because following a beacon is like > >> > playing a reflex > >> game. > >> > It says north, you turn around until it says north. > >> > Even then > >> though, > >> > someone had to tell me that. I have no real > >> > understanding as > >> to what > >> > that means or where I'm going. In fact, during times > >> > when you > >> can't > >> > rely on beacons to get you places (like the goblin > >> > campsites > >> and so > >> > on), someone actually had to do that for me! > >> > As for Tank Commander, if it weren't for Raul's > >> > playthrough, I > >> would > >> > have never beaten it. > >> > Same in the real world, I always struggled with > >> > mobility. When I > >> > learned a route it was a case of remembering a set of > >> instructions. > >> > That's why I often call it the "Bop-it dance" or the > >> > "Robot's > >> dance". > >> > Think about it...Walk 20, turn right, walk 10...Just > >> > a glorified > >> > algorithm. > >> > If someone tells me to try and do the route in > >> > reverse, I > >> wouldn't > >> > have a clue. > >> > You tell me to turn right, and I can do it. You ask > >> > me what's > >> to the > >> > left of me, or what direction are the stairs from my > >> > front > >> door, I'd > >> > have no idea, without physically going there. When my > >> > mum used > to > >> tell > >> > me to get out of the car and walk round the back, I > >> > wouldn't know > >> what > >> > direction that was, because once I'm out of the car > >> > my > >> direction has > >> > changed. And then there's the big one. If cars are > >> > moving > >> forwards > >> > then why do they pan left to right? Or, if I'm sat in > >> > a vehicle > >> that's > >> > reversing, why does it feel like it's moving > >> > forwards? What am I > >> told? > >> > Surprise surprise, it's to do with directions again. > >> > And they all > >> have > >> > one thing in common - it's the direction your facing. > >> > I always thought that, although I could move in a > >> > given > >> direction, I > >> > always struggled when I faced a different direction > >> > to what I'm > >> used to. > >> > My mum disagrees, and puts it like this: I don't have > >> > any "mental > >> > mapping skills". Thinking about it, I guess I can say > >> > that's > >> accurate. > >> > I never know where I am relative to other things, or > >> > where > >> they are > >> > relative to me (Unless of course I can reach out and > >> > physically > >> touch > >> > it). > >> > I guess that's why I wasn't taught other forms of > >> > navigation. > >> compass > >> > directions are just a series of meaningless words to > >> > me. All I > >> know is > >> > that the compass has something to do with the sun. > >> > And don't even get me started on the clockface...When > >> > I tried 3d > >> > Velocity and it told me there was an enemy at 06:00, > >> > I > >> actually went > >> > looking in the manual for a way to check the > >> > gametime! Of course > >> > there's nothing in there, then someone corrected me > >> > and said, no, > >> it's > >> > referencing direction, not time. As far as I know, I > >> > hit a > >> button on > >> > my clock or computer and it tells me the time. What > >> > on earth has > >> that > >> > got to do with directions? I guess the only thing I > >> > can think > >> of is > >> > that they say the past is behind you and the future > >> > is in > >> > front...Headache tablets anyone? > >> > I've also seen things like turning to 90 or 160 (they > >> > just sound > >> like > >> > arbitrary numbers to me). Eurofly deals with latitude > >> longitude and > >> > altitude. There just seems to be so much to consider > >> > with space. > >> > I'd just say give me an x and a y coordinate. But > >> > then I've seen > >> that > >> > in different ways (0 0 being bottom left in some > >> > cases, and > >> top left > >> > in others, and then someone told me that could also > >> > refer to the > >> > centre under some circumstances as well). Also I've > >> > had > >> disputes in > >> > the past as to whether the Y coordinate represents > >> > forwards and > >> > backwards, or up and down. I always thought z was up > >> > and down, > >> but > >> > they'd argue that when you're talking 2d, y is up and > >> > down. But I > >> > thought if you're working with 2d, you're talking > >> > about something > >> > that's flat (unless of course you're playing BK3!) > >> > Then, as if that wasn't enough, even my certainty > >> > about up and > >> down > >> > came into question a few months ago when I learned > >> > that the > world > >> was > >> > just a big ball. In that case, people on the other > >> > side of the > >> ball > >> > would say that their up was our down...And then they > >> > told me the > >> earth > >> > is spinning, so our directions are always changing > >> anyway...Sheesh! > >> > Thank goodness we don't have that level of complexity > >> > in games! > >> > Honestly. Sometimes I think I ought to have a physics > >> > degree > >> if I'm > >> > going to understand all this! And there was me > >> > thinking that > >> spatial > >> > awareness was meant to be a basic skill. > >> > As it is, I'm determined to learn this. I've gone six > >> > or seven > >> years > >> > without any mobility training now because I just > >> > can't get my > >> head > >> > around it. Now I'm trying again, and I thought that > >> > if I can > >> > understand how these games work, maybe it will > >> > improve my > mental > >> > mapping skills and thus my mobility training, and > >> > stop everyone > >> > getting impatient with me and telling me what an > >> > idiot or slow > >> learner > >> > I am. > >> > Cheers, > >> > Damien. > >> > > >> > On 27/07/2020 04:08 pm, Luke Hewitt wrote: > >> >> I've found myself, that practicing has actually > >> >> improved my > >> ability > >> >> to navigate in games. > >> >> > >> >> When I started with shades of doom and gma tank > >> >> commander, I > was > >> >> having trouble, and it wasn't until I thought out > >> >> the physical > >> >> spacial awareness test myself that I managed to get > >> >> my head > >> around > >> >> the idea, since my own comprehension of space is > >> >> actually pretty > >> crappy. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> What I do do though, both in games and rl, is to > >> >> use > >> landmarks as > >> >> guides, sound sources, smells, and working out what > >> >> direction I > >> have > >> >> to go from such and such is often a good way around. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> A hero's call I can't speak about as I've yet to get > >> >> into that > >> game, > >> >> but I know in shades of doom, using the sound > >> >> sources of the > >> >> corridors and many of the tools already provided > >> >> like > >> coordinates and > >> >> the reminders of where I've gone before, helped > >> >> considerably. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> All the best, > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> Dark. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. 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